Golf-ball.



No. 706,758. Patented Aug. I2, I902.

E. KEMPSHALL.

GOLF BALL.

(Application filed June 14, 1902.)

(No Model.)

Tl z hasses': fizwerz$z 9%. 6.\%77\ dz rlmpsfiall;

UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICE.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GOLF-BALL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,758, dated August12, 1902.

Application filed June 14. 1902; Serial No. 111,765. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and'State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Balls, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to playing-balls; and its objects are to increasethe flying power thereof and also to render them buoyant in water.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is apart-sectional view of agolf-ball embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged segment of aball. Fig. 3 illustrates the filling or body of the ball. Fig. 4: showsa piece of sheet-rubber used in forming said body, and

Fig. 5 shows a compound center piece used Within'the filling shown atFig. 3.

In the several views similar parts are designated by similar charactersof reference.

For the center piece of the ball I employ a small sphere 1, preferablyof celluloid or other hard springy material, inclosed in undersizedsegments 2 3 of soft rubber. Upon this compound center pieceI applyapproximately pure sheet-rubber layer over layer to form the filling 4of the ball, and upon this filling I place a shell 5, of plasticmaterial, preferably gutta-percha,and preferably holding the fillingunder compression.

In winding the filling 4, which forms the principal part of the body ofthe ball in the illustrated construction,I do not employ crudecaoutchouc or caoutchouc in an uncured condition, because it is notsufficiently strong and resilient when in an uncured condition; but Iemploy a very thin sheeting of acidcured rubber A- that is, rubber whichhas been changed from the crude state to a usable state by a well-knownacid process, as distinguished from the more common process of mixingraw rubber with sulfur and then subjecting the mixture to-heat.Specimens of acid-cured rubber are the commercial surgeons rubber ordental rubber or dental dam. This contains little or no foreign deadmixture which would impair its strength or elasticity, and it is muchstronger than rubber which is vulcanized by being first mixed withsulfur and then heated, and hence performs an important function in myimproved ball, because it can be drawn extremely thin and withstandsgreat strain, and by these combined qualities I am enabled to malie asubstantially solid ball all portions whereof are under high tension.This solidity is effected by the thinness to which. the sheeting isdrawn in connection with the hard packing action due to the tenseness ofthe overlying windings, which, it will be understood, pack the innerlayers in a most effectual manner. It will be perceived that owing tothe solidity of a ball thus formed lateral flow of the rub ber sheet orstrip becomes impossible-that is, such flow as would occur at theunconfined edges of an ordinary plate of rubber when subjected topressure, and hence any further distortion of the rubber when the ballis struck can occur only in directions longitudinally of the strips, andsince this is already highlytensioned the ball exhibits phenomenalflying power. Moreover, the described ball of solid windings is so hardand so highly tensioned as not to be unduly affected by a light blow,rendering the ball also excellent for putting. This sheeting I windcontinuously in miscellaneous directions layer over layer, as indicatedat A, Figs; 2 and 3. I prefer to use sheeting originally from nineone-thousandths to twelve one-thousandths of an inch in thickness andtensioned to an extent to reduce its thickness to from threeonethousandths to four one-thousandths of an inch. It will be understoodthat owing to its strength thin sheeting of acid-cured rubber maybeemployed and that it may be stretched untilit is extremely thin, sincethis quality or kind of rubber stands very great stress withoutbreaking. In this way-that is, by using extremely thin windings-Jcanjmake a substantially solid sphere of rubber which is highlytensioned'in all directions,and is hence powerful when given a hardblow, While being too highly strung to be materially affected by a lightblow, so that it is welladapted for the game of golf. By reason ofitsextraordinary thinness the. sheeting Winds verycompactly, forming asolid body--that is, a body containingnoperceptible crevices. Because ofits tension and compactness this body is materially harder to the touchthan the softrubber shell-segments 2 3. The solidity of the body Iregard as a feature of great im portance. The tension of the sheeting issufficient to draw said segments together, closing the crevice B betweenthem, as at B, Figs. 1 and 2, and tensioning them upon the hard sphere1.

In using the term acid process herein I mean to distinguish from thatvulcanizing process which consists of mixing sulfur mechanically withrubber and then subjecting the mixture to heat, said acid'processinvolving the surface treatment or immersion of the raw-rubber sheet ina suitable bathas, for instance, in a bath consisting of a mixture ofdichlorid of sulfur and carbon disulfid.

The highly-tensioned sheeting has not only the advantage of beingextremely elastic and not only packs closely layer upon layer to form asolid ball, but it will also be seen that because of its thinness agreat number of layers can be compacted within the alloted space, as atA, Fig. 2, and since each layer is independently tensioned a largeamount of power is stored up in the ball. In short, my filling consistsprincipally of a solid ball of rubber whose different portions aretensioned in miscellaneous directions, each portion being distended tomany times its normal length.

By excluding foreign material from the rubber sheeting many advantagesare gained in constructing a golf-ball,which is of small size. Foreignmaterial, which is comparatively inelastic, not only displaces its bulkof the highlyelastic rubber sheeting, but by its presence alsointerferes with the action of the rubber. In other words, the mixing offoreign material makes more work to be done and reduces the amount ofthe rubber for doing the work. Moreover, by having the rubberapproximately pure it is found that a very thin sheet thereof withstandsa high degree of tension, so that a multitude of highlytensioned sheetsmay be embodied in the ball, thus materially augmenting its flyingpower. Again, by using approximately pure cured rubber in forming thebody the golf-ball is rendered buoyant in water, so that if accidentallydriven into a lake or stream it can be readily located and recovered.

I apprehend that when the ball is given a blow the outer layer orenvelop of tensioned rubber is subjected to a still greater tension,said envelop being of spherical form and containing a solid mass, sothat the only effect possible to produce by a blow is a change of shapeof the half from a true sphere, which change of shape necessarilystretches said outer layer. I apprehend, further, that the successiveinner layers are also subjected to extra tension for the same reason.Since there are a multitude of these highly-tensioned rubber layers andall are simultaneously given an extra tension by a blow from a club andsince their reaction is instantaneous, the ball flies from the club withphenomenal speed.

The gutta-percha shell 5 may be formed of hemispherical segments,whichare preferably welded upon the filling 4 under heat and pressure. Thewindings of acid-cured rubber adhere to one another, thereby improvingthe stability and elasticity of the ball. The heat present at theoperation of welding on the gutta percha shell improves the adheringproperties of the tightly-packed acid-cured rubber. It will be notedthat the heaviest portion of the structure consists of the shell, whichlies at the periphery of the ball and by reason of its momentum when theball is in rotation tends to prolong the flight thereof.

The diameter of the sphere 1 may be between twenty-five and thirty-fiveper cent. (preferably thirty per cent.) that of the entire ball, whilethe diameter of the sphere 2 3 may be between thirty-five and forty-fiveper cent, (preferably forty per cent.,) and that of the filling 4between seventy and ninety per cent., (preferably eighty-five per cent.)

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a playing-ball, thecombination of a center piece; a multitude of windings thereon ofextremely thin and highly-tensioned approximately pure acid-curedsheet-rubber, said windings forming a solid body, and a cover formed ofplastic material; said cover holding said rubber under compression, andsaid center piece consisting of undersized segments of molded elasticmaterial drawn together at their edges by said windings.

2. In a playing-ball, the combination of a IOU center piece, a multitudeof windings thereon of extremely thin and highly-tensioned acidcuredsheet-rubber, said windings forming a solid body of spherical form andadhering to one another; and a shell of gutta-percha holding said bodyunder compression; said center piece consisting of a hard sphere and amolded softer elastic shell thereon.

3. A playing-ball comprising a small hard center piece; a small sphereof, solid molded soft rubber thereon; a substantially solid materiallylarger spherical body upon said soft-rubber sphere and consisting ofwindings of extremely thin and highly-tensioned acidcured sheet-rubber;and a shell or cover of plastic material.

4. In a playing-ball, the combination of a center piece; adherentwindings thereon of thin and highly-tensioned acid-cured sheetrubber,and a cover of gutta-percha upon said rubber; said windings forming sucha proportion of the ball as to enable it to float in water, and saidcenter piece comprising a celluloid sphere and a shell of solid softrubber thereon.

5. A playing-ball comprising a hard sphere 1 of between twenty-five andthirty-five per cent. of the diameter of the ball; a sphere upon saidsphere 1 and consisting of soft rubber, the diameter of said soft-rubbersphere being between thirty-five and forty-five per cent. of thediameter of the ball; a substantially solid sphere 4 upon saidsoft-rubber sphere and consisting of a multitude of ex-' tremely thinand highly-tensioned approxiwares mately pure acid-cured sheet-rubber,the diameter of said sphere 4 being between seventy and ninety per cent.of the ball; and a gutta-percha shell or cover.

6. In a playing-ball, the combination of a sphere of celluloid; a sphereof solid molded rubber tensioned thereon; a multitude of windings ofextremely thin and highly-tensioned approximately pure acid-curedsheetrubber upon said sphere, and a shell of plastic material.

7. In a playing-ball, a center piece compounded of celluloid and solidsoft rubber, a solid body thereon consisting of windings inmiscellaneous directions of highly-tensioned acid-cured sheet-rubber,each of said windings being not more than four onethousandths of an inchin thickness; and a cover of Wear-resistin g material upon said body.

8. In a playing-ball, the combination of a solid body ofspherical formand provided with a center piece, and consisting of miscellaneousadherent windings of highly-tensioned approximately pure acid-curedsheetrubber, each of said windings being not more than [ourone-thousandthsof an inch in thickness, and a shell of gutta-perchaholding said windings under compression; said center piece consisting ofa hard sphere and undersized segments of solid soft rubber drawntogether at their edges by said windings.

9. A playing-ball comprising a hard sphere 1 whose diameter is thirtyper cent. of the diameter of the ball; a soft-rubber sphere upon saidhard sphere, the diameter of said soft-rubber sphere being forty percent. of the entire ball; a substantially solid sphere 4 upon saidsoft-rubber sphere and consisting of a multitude of windings ofextremely thin and highly tensioned approximately pure acid-curedsheet-rubber, the diameter of said sphere 4 being eighty-five per cent.of that of the entire ball and each of said windings being not more thanfour one -thousandths of an inch in thickness; and a guttapercha shellholding said sphere 4 under c0mpression; substantially as set forth.

ELEAZER KEMPsHAnL.

Vitnesses:

B. O. STIcKNEY, FRED. J. Donn.

